Tubular wagon-axle



(No Modell.) I

N. L. HOLMES.

TUBULAR WAGON AXLB. No. 307,650. Y Patented Nov. 4, 1884.

ihvrrnn smarts Barham @ii-rica NATHAN Ii, HOLMES, OF RACINE, VISCONSIN.

TUBULAR WAGONAXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,650, dated November e, 1884.

Application led October 17,1888. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHAN L. Hommes, Vof Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tubular Vagon- Axles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference io marked thereon, which form` a part of this specification.

This invention relates to tubular wagonaxles, and more particularly to the enlargement of the arms or spindles and the strength- -ening of the axle at and adjacent to the arms.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and serviceable construction in tubular axles having the spindles enlarged and the adjacent parts of the axles strengthened; and

2o it consists, primarily, in the combination, with the tube which extends from end to lend of the axle, of a thimble and an' extension thereof formed in one piece from another tube of proper size to embrace the main tube.

It also consists in certain features of construction in a combined collar and clip support employed to confine the metal and wood portions.

It further consists in certain other features of construction, that will hereinafter further appear, and that will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of an axle and its arm constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, a top plan View showing a part of the wood portion of the axle removed. Fig.

4o 4 is a vertical cross-section upon the line c x of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hurter-band detached. Fig. 6 shows the manner of cutting two thilnbles from asingle piece of tube, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a thimble-blank after being cut from a tube.

In the drawings, A representsa tube,which extends from the end of the axle. B- is a thimble having an extension, B., applied to the extremities of the tube A for the enlarge- 5o.rnent of its arms or spindles, and to give the necessary strength to the axle at points adjacent to the spindles or wheels. C is a collar or harter-band secured to the axle in proper position to form the inner shoulder for the wheel. D is the wood portion of the axle, having a rounded groove in its under face fitted to the tube A. E E are clips which bind the extension B of the thimble B, the wood portion D, and the inclosed tube A together.

In the manufacture of tubular iron axles for wagons as heretofore constructed it was found that atube of sufficientsize to give the required strength in the hub near the arms was objectionably and unnecessarily large and heavy at other points. As a remedy for this objection it has been customary to upset the tube at and near its ends to make it ofthe desired size; but by reason of the peculiar effect of thisoperation upon the metal it is found that strength is not proportionately or suffrciently increased.

As a means for securing at the same time the proper dimensions and strength of the axle at its several points, I have devised a construction wherein a thimble is applied to the arm, and a suitable extension of said thimble reaches inwardly upon the axle and strengthens the adjacent parts thereof upon which falls the excessive strain.

The general features of this improvement, together with a particular form thereof, are more fully set forth in another application for patent iiled of even date herewith, and this present specification deals more directly with the particular form of the improvement herein shown.

In this form of the invention the thimble B, with its extension B, if present, is cut from a tube instead of being made from sheet metal and bent to shape. For this purpose atube of steel or iron is selected having its interior diameter equal to the external diameter of the axle-tube. This will usually and preferably be cut into lengths represented in Fig. 6, each IOC on each tubular part B a semi-cylindric part,

B', as lshown in Fig. 7.

After formingthe thimbles in the abovedescribed or other preferred manner said thimbles are applied and secured upon the ends of the tube A, with the extensions B on the same side thereof, that they may occupythe position shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3 at the under side of said tube when theaxle is completed. Either before or after the thimblcs are applied to the tubes A both the thimbles and the ends of the tube A will be drawn, swaged, or otherwise operated upon to give the desired taper to the axle-arms, and the plug Blz is'welded into the end oftheinner tube to afford ascrew for-'the nu't N inthe usual manner. The taper wiltpreferably not ex'tend the lentire length of the tubular part of the thimble B, but only .to-the outershoulder of the collarC, having a upon which the end ofthe wood appurtenances of the collar,

. description of the present construction.

' usual'manner.

cylindric part, b, of said thimble running a fewl inches back of the collar upon the tube A. Generally the parts A and B will be welded together, and this will always be the case when they arejoined before being tapered. If, however, itf'is desiredto provide for the removal and renewal of the thimbles when they shall have become worn, the latter should be shrunk uponthe tube, in which case the tube and thimbles` will ofcourse be separately tapered. The collar C will be shrunk to its place in the In the other specification beforementioned the collar C is described as beingprovided with inwardly-extended parts,

f includinga clip-tie and side flanges, which latter are covered or confined by the clipba'ndfE, and also as having Iatlange at the rear or upon the inner face of the collar, over or rests. The as herein shown, differ somewhat from those just referred to, as Will more fully appear from the following In said present form of the collar device, C is a rearward extension upon the lower side of the collar, formed totit the curved surface of the spindle-extension B', and terminating at the sides in the thin edges c2. Said extension C is preferably provided with the lateral apertured lugs C, which serve to admit the ends of the clip-band and to penmit a separate clip-tie to be dispensed with. The rearward extension, G, is somewhat longer thanthe width of the clip-band E, and adjacent to the collar proper rise therefrom the side fianges, C, in position to stand between the clip-band and said collar C. In order to prevent the unsightly appearance of inaccu- .rate joints betweenthe clip-band and said iianges C3, the latter are formed to overlap the edge of the former. Preferably, the edge ofthe flange will be external to the edge of the clip-band. and for this purpose said flanges are formedwith vertical insets or recesses c, to'admit the adjacent edges of the clip-band, which in that case will be covered by the outstanding` vertical edges cof said flanges. The collar device will usually be made of malleable iron, permittinglthe thin edges c', if necessary, to be hammered closely against the band. As before stated, the inner cylindri-c part, b, of the thimble B extends beyond the collar C. Preferably it terminates beneath the clip, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the wood part D is covered where it is recessed, as shown in Fig. 2, to fit the part b, and is supported to its full depth by the rear edge of the clip. The lower edges, d, of the wood portion D of the axle are preferably of the same thickness asthe upper edges of the thimble- 'extension B', so that they give a flush surface at the sides of the axle opposite these extensions. Beyond said extensions, orin the central part of the axle, these edges ofthe wood maybe beveled inwardifor a part of their thick-ness, ifpreferred. The clip-ties E are similar in sectional form to the collar-extension @'02, being constructed to conform with-the curved surface ofthe spindle-extension B. several clips E E at opposite ends of the thimbleextension the several parts of the axle embraced thereby are closely bound together, and the full strength of said thimble-extension is made to operate for the support ofthe axle throughout the distance covered thereby. An intermediate clip-band, El, for holding the bolster or hounds,will, ofcourse, impart additional support and strength. The thimbleextension may, of course, be cylindric throughout its entire length, if preferred; but, asits full diameter is not required for strength, the construction shown is'preferable as being-very much `lighter and more economical of material.

In the construction above set forth it will be observed that the thimble B, as well as the axle A, may be directly from merchant tubing,

By meansof the IOO and without the cost that attends the shaping and Welding of'such thimble from sheet metal. The section of tubing Fig. 6 may obviously have its transverse cuts inclined instead of directly transverse, or in planes at right angles with the tube, as shown by the lines'b.

' I claim as my invention-ss IlO l. The combination, with the tubularvv axle l A, of a fixed thimble, B, provided with aparticylindrieal extension and formed from tubing of proper diameter to fit the tube A, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the tubular axle A and a collar, of a fixed thimble, B, having a lower partifcylindrical extension, B, and an upper extension, b, at the rear of the collar, said thimble and its extensions being formed from tubing of interior diameter fitted to closely embrace the tube A, substantially as described.

3. The pair of extension-thimbles B B', Fig. 6, formed by cutting a tube of proper length transversely and longitudinally in its middle portion, substantially as indicated and dc scribed.

` 4. In combination with Wood and metal parts of a Wagon-axle, a collar, C, provided with vertical flanges G3, an extension, G, projecting inwardly beyond the anges C, and a e1ip-band,E, secured to the extension C beyond tical flanges C3, havin ginsets c, in combination or in continuation of the said flanges C, snb- With the clip-band. and the parts-of the axle stantially as described. confined thereby, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the clip-band and In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 5 the parts of the axle to be oonned thereby, a my invention I affix my signature in presence 15 collar provided with vertical flanges C3, conof two Witnesses.

structed to lap the adjacent edges of the clip NATHAN L. HOLMES. band, substantially as described. W'itnesses:

6. The collar or butter-band C, provided M. E. DAYTON,

lo WiththeeXtensionG,aperturedlugs (Rand verl W. C.' ADAMS. 

